She Built New Zealand’s First Crowdfunding Platform And Changed the Game for Founders

In this episode of The Powerhouse Diaries, Yaela Raber sits down with Anna Guenther, co-founder of PledgeMe, New Zealand’s first crowdfunding platform, to explore the radical shifts happening in how entrepreneurs raise money, find community, and scale their vision.

From writing a master’s thesis on crowdfunding to building a platform that has helped thousands of founders, artists, and innovators raise millions, Anna shares the highs, lows, and pivotal lessons she’s learned along the way.

This is a conversation about resilience, equity, and rewriting the rules of funding especially for women founders who have traditionally been shut out of investment opportunities. Anna also opens up about solo motherhood, building a business with heart, and why inviting people into your journey is the key to success.

In This Episode We Discuss:

00:00 - Episode Trailer

04:08 - The master’s thesis that sparked a movement

05:33 - Building PledgeMe and the first million raised

07:26 - When your payment provider declares crowdfunding “illegal”

09:00 - How transparency built trust in the early days

11:57 - From rewards-based crowdfunding to equity investment

13:43 - Why funding feels overwhelming and how to simplify it

15:12 - The gender gap in venture capital

18:33 - How women are raising through crowdfunding

19:57 - The power of asking for help

21:10 - Outsourcing your knowing vs. trusting your gut

22:29 - Solo motherhood and recalibrating priorities

24:17 - Building community and friendships through business

25:39 - The proudest legacy of PledgeMe

27:14 - Success stories: from kitchen table to global exit

29:17 - Why now is still a great time to invest

30:30 - Crowdfunding as the modern co-op model

31:00 - Becoming a solo parent by choice

33:25 - “Women can do anything, but not everything”

37:25 - The $2M campaign that broke the platform

39:25 - Reframing asking for money as inviting people in

Episode Resources:

Guest Website: https://linktr.ee/pledgeme

Guest Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/whereisanna

Guest Instagram (PledgeMe): https://www.instagram.com/pledgeme

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaguenther

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